South Carolina's Low Country March 2005

After our morning in Charleston at the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, we headed south on Highway 17 again, bound for Susan's childhood home: Beaufort, South Carolina. I have seen her family photos of the old home and the view from its dock looks quite a bit like the photo at the top of this page (which is also a link).

It was not long before Highway 17 became a two lane road through the Low Country, passing small towns like Lobeco and Grays Hill. There is plenty of lumber farming around here but we did not see any logging trucks on this trip.

This is real low Low Country, with estuaries and wetlands all around us as we drive.

Looking out the driver's window, you can see how the highway rises a few feet above the wetlands. You can also catch the reflection of my road-watch...

Now into a stretch with woodlands on both sides. Palmettos and scrub palmettos are everywhere (although you cannot see them in this photo). Those of you who are golfers probably know that just south of Beaufort lies one of the must-plays for this sport: Hilton Head.

Obviously not Hilton Head!

At last, Highway 21 to Beaufort!

Driving over a bridge that crosses one of the many rivers and streams in this area. We really had wonderful weather for this trip.

Here is a cock-eyed photo of a tomato packing plant. The story goes, Susan's brothers used to work at plants like this in the summer and enjoyed a traditional end-of-the-day tomato fight every so often. Something told me I was going to like her brothers.

The turn for those who want to go to Hilton Head and Savannah, Georgia.

Just north of Beaufort is the United States Marine Corps Air Station where Susan's father was stationed. The map above should give you some idea of the Air Station's size.

We were soon reminded of its mission when several USMC fighter jets roared overhead (too quickly for any photographs!). I am pretty sure they were F/A-18E Tomcats like the one above.

Just to the south of Beaufort is Parris Island, a famous name in the annals of the USMC. We happened to be in town just before "boot camp" graduation weekend, so we were able to enjoy the arrival of the proud families and friends, many of whom were staying at our hotel. The night before graduation, while I was using the Internet on a PC in the lobby, a young boy and a teen-age girl came in and sat near me. I overheard the youngster excitedly say to the girl, "Tomorrow is going to be better than Christmas and Easter and birthdays. It's going to be the greatest day ever!" I had to ask why and the girl told me that the boy's older brother (her boyfriend) was one of the boot camp graduates and they were there for the ceremonies. I hope that youngster had the experience he anticipated.

The reason for our visit to South Carolina was a gathering of Susan's family. We quickly stowed our luggage, took a brief break, and then headed for downtown Beaufort. The bridge in the distance is Highway 21, heading for St. Helena Island, among other destinations.

While Susan and her father took care of some family business, I relaxed on the boardwalk by the Beaufort River. Note how the sidewalk is made with oyster shells in concrete. While sitting on a bench, a bald eagle flew over me, but... by the time I turned the camera on it was gone.

For a capsule history of historic Beaufort, click on this link. The first Europeans to arrive were the Spanish, over 500 years ago, but the locals were none to pleased, so they chased the Spanish back to St. Augustine, Florida. However...

"Eventually the English colonial powers—under the politically powerful Lords Proprietors—moved into the Lowcountry. By the late 17th century, they had control of the area around Port Royal. These early Spanish-French-British settlements, many on modern-day Parris Island and St. Helena Island, are now involved in regular archeological exploration and historical research..." More

With her business concluded, Susan and I crossed over the bridge into what I think is St. Helena's Island.

Susan wanted me to see this very old church, St. Helena's, or the "Chapel of Ease," constructed of "tabby."

"Tabby" is a cement composed of lime, sand, and oyster shells. The general opinion is that the Spanish first brought this construction material to the Americas, after the Moors had introduced it to Spain. You can learn more about it at this link.

I wonder how many hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters this church has witnessed and survived.

The graveyard behind the church was entirely overgrown and the headstones were impossible to read. Unfortunately, while the church managed to withstand the elements, years of vandalism have toppled headstones and defiled crypts.

Below is another example of the high rates of infant and child mortality. This headstone marks the graves of two very young sisters who died only a year apart. What a tragedy for their parents.

Here is what remains of an iron fence that surrounded one gravesite, possibly a family's plot.

The back of the "Chapel of Ease."

A farewell photo of the front.

On our way back to Highway 21 to return to Beaufort we snapped this quick photograph of a roadside eatery. If only we had had the time to sample the cuisine. For those unfamiliar with "Gullah" and its origins, go to this link for more information, such as:

"Most Beaufort slaves in the first decades of the 1800s may have been first-generation African arrivals. So it was not merely the remoteness of the Sea Islands that preserved the African culture and language influences among Gullah speakers. 23,773 slaves came to South Carolina from Africa between 1804 through 1807, and 14,217 of these originated from Angola, Congo, or "Congo and Angola". The newly arrived slaves breathed new life into African traditions already established on the islands...."

I believe that Gullah was also spoken by many of the escaped slaves who made their way to remote sea islands and established their own communities.

Back in Beaufort, we began our tour of homes. This part of South Carolina was quickly captured by the Union Army and Beaufort became a hospital town. Because of this, many of the grand houses survived the Civil War, unlike those in other Confederate states. The map below gives some idea of the area we traversed by car.

The "Old South" atmosphere and architecture have made Beaufort a popular location for motion picture productions, particularly those set in the American South. If you have seen "Forrest Gump," "The Big Chill," "The Great Santini," or "The Prince of Tides" you have seen Beaufort and its beautiful Antebellum mansions. In fact, if you have seen "The Big Chill" from the beginning, you have seen Susan's father, who had an extra-role as one of the limousine drivers at the funeral that opens the film. Look for the fellow with the handle-bar moustache!

I believe the house in the above photo is the Lewis Reeves Sams House built in 1852. It was used as a location in "The Prince of Tides."

Below is a photo of the Tidalholm house used in "The Big Chill" and "The Great Santini." Because of tourists annoying the owners, they have allowed the hedges and trees to grow in order to protect their privacy. I have linked to this picture, because we had no interest in being an annoyance.

There are walking tours of these historic neighborhoods and on our next trip we hope to take advantage of a few.

According to a guide-book, the house above was built by John Bythewood, circa 1800, and was acquired by a former slave after emanicipation (she signed her name on the deal with an "X"). As many of you probably know, the pineapple, after its introduction to Europe and North America from its Brazilian roots, became a symbol of hospitality and fine living.

I found this one interesting if only because of the massive tree growing in its front yard. I could be wrong, but I believe it is oak. Once again I could only marvel at how it has survived hundreds of years of storms.

If you look closely at the house in the above photo (the Rev. Thomas Ledbetter House), you can see a dalmatian dog at the top of the steps and its twin just to the right of the foot of the steps.

Below is another of these classic homes, the John Johnson House, built around 1850, with porches designed to catch the sea breezes.

Beaufort Jail

I immediately thought of "In the Heat of the Night" and "Cool Hand Luke" and drove by very carefully (but quickly).

That evening we had a major but casual family dinner at "Ollie's Seafood Grille and Bar" on the shore of the Beaufort River near the marina. This was my attempt at a no-flash, night-photo using a tree to steady the shot. Well, almost steady the shot.

The next day the family (and friends) gathered at the 11th Street Dockside restaurant in Port Royal for a private brunch. Below is a photo of the nearby docks.

It takes a bit of an effort to find the restaurant, but it is well worth the trouble.

Inside was a seafood and salad spread that did not disappoint.

Above left are Susan's nephews discussing the soon-to-be released SONY PSP. Above right are her charming nieces from New Hampshire.

Above left is Susan with her brothers, Steve and Walter. On the right is the required family photo. Represented were Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Florida, California, and Utah.

Below is my favorite of them all. The call went out for a "grown ups only" photo and one "grown up" needed a mobile beer-holder, so...

Trust me, she did not take so much as a sip!

On the way back to the hotel, Susan insisted I needed a photo of a Piggly Wiggly Supermarket. Okay, here it is.

The next morning, as the sun rose, the estuary that seemed bone dry the previous afternoon was now filled with sea water.

This enormous tree is in the hotel's parking lot.

As we passed the Marine Air Station heading back to Charleston, SC, we stopped long enough to photograph these display aircraft (Susan's father piloted most of these aircraft types when he was in the Corps).

Charleston International Airport shares its runways with a large military transport facility. While we had lunch, we watched as eight of these USAF C-17 Globemasters took off. Enormous as they are, they have exceptional short take-off and landing capabilities. Considering "homeland security," I was almost nervous about taking these pictures but figured, hey, my tax dollars probably bought a toilet seat or a wrench on one of these behemoths!

The flights from Charleston to Atlanta and then on to LAX were uneventful but crowded (give me the Boeing 767 or 777 any day of the week). Soon we were home ...

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